The top bar is the sign that read "Jesus, Kind of the Jews" which was nailed above Christ's head at His crucifixion.

The middle bar is where His arms were nailed to the Cross.

The lowest bar, is where His feet were nailed to the Cross. It slants upward (like a scale) going up to the right, where the "good" thief was on Christ's right side, who asked forgiveness and was awarded with paradise....and the left points downward (where the other thief hung, who ridiculed Christ).

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Conquer evil men by your gentle kindness, and make zealous men wonder at your goodness. Put the lover of legality to shame by your compassion. With the afflicted be afflicted in mind. Love all men, but keep distant from all men.—St. Isaac of Syria

Conquer evil men by your gentle kindness, and make zealous men wonder at your goodness. Put the lover of legality to shame by your compassion. With the afflicted be afflicted in mind. Love all men, but keep distant from all men.—St. Isaac of Syria

The three barred cross is not 'the' Orthodox cross, rather it is one of many styles used in different national Orthodox churches across the globe. There is a detailed discussion of this subject on this thread from a few year's back: http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php?topic=33297.0 Of course I wouldn't take all of the answers as being accurate, but there is a pretty good discussion there. While almost exclusively used by Russians, Ukrainians and Rusyns, it is rarely, if ever, found in the Greek or Arabic tradition. It is also used by eastern Catholic Ukrainians and Rusyns.

While almost exclusively used by Russians, Ukrainians and Rusyns, it is rarely, if ever, found in the Greek or Arabic tradition.

Quite true, though in the northern regions of Greece, it does appear from time to time, undoubtedly through their historical proximity to Balkan Slavs. Even where I live, there is a Greek church whose mural icons were painted by three brothers from one of the northern provinces, The icon of the Resurrection features an angel above the risen Christ. This angel is holding an unmistakeably Slavic cross.

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No longer posting here. Anyone is welcome to email me at the address in my profile.

The Greek church I attend has the cross with the slanted bar in many of the icons, and in the stained glass windows.

However, many people wear crosses (I don't know what to call them) with the 3 bumps on each end. Sometimes they are more like "plus" shape than a cross (the horizontal bar is centered).

I just realized the other day that the cross I used to make something I hung from my car rearview mirror when I first got the car (12 years ago?) is one of the kind the Greeks tend to use in their jewelry. Prophetic? (lol just kidding - but I thought it was cool that I did that without even knowing)

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Aγιος ὁ Θεός, Ἅγιος ἰσχυρός, Ἅγιος ἀθάνατος, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς

Let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God

Our crosses are really equal, but different because each one of is unique and has certain characteristics that are only their own. Our own cross is most important because it is the one we need.

As well, in this life some may have certain talants or more talants than others so more is expected of them; their crosses appear harder, but they also have more "ammo" to deal with them than others. Etc.

However, many people wear crosses (I don't know what to call them) with the 3 bumps on each end. Sometimes they are more like "plus" shape than a cross (the horizontal bar is centered).

I just realized the other day that the cross I used to make something I hung from my car rearview mirror when I first got the car (12 years ago?) is one of the kind the Greeks tend to use in their jewelry. Prophetic? (lol just kidding - but I thought it was cool that I did that without even knowing)

That style is called a budded cross. There's a Wikipedia article that describes this and many other crosses (not necessarily Christian). It's a fascinating overload of trivia. I have no idea how many of them are actually used with any sort of regularity by the Orthodox.

We're still in the early stages of completing the interior of our church building that we bought last year. Our bishop gave clear instructions to use the budded cross in the nave rather than the three-barred cross, saying that "we're not Russian". (That wasn't intended as any sort of put-down, but rather His Grace is trying to emphasize our own traditions.) We do have a three-barred cross - and a rather large one at that - in the fellowship hall. The bishop made no mention of that.

Our crosses are really equal, but different because each one of is unique and has certain characteristics that are only their own. Our own cross is most important because it is the one we need.

As well, in this life some may have certain talants or more talants than others so more is expected of them; their crosses appear harder, but they also have more "ammo" to deal with them than others. Etc.

I remember our late Bishop in a Q and A with teens some years back at camp, that our cross, the Orthodox cross is the 'the Cross of Christ Crucified' and not to fall into the practice of identifying the three bar cross, common among our Rusyn and Ukrainian parishes, as being THE Orthodox cross. We all have crosses to bare in life he said and it mattered not how they were 'decorated'...or words along those lines.......

However, many people wear crosses (I don't know what to call them) with the 3 bumps on each end. Sometimes they are more like "plus" shape than a cross (the horizontal bar is centered).

I just realized the other day that the cross I used to make something I hung from my car rearview mirror when I first got the car (12 years ago?) is one of the kind the Greeks tend to use in their jewelry. Prophetic? (lol just kidding - but I thought it was cool that I did that without even knowing)

That style is called a budded cross. There's a Wikipedia article that describes this and many other crosses (not necessarily Christian). It's a fascinating overload of trivia. I have no idea how many of them are actually used with any sort of regularity by the Orthodox.

We're still in the early stages of completing the interior of our church building that we bought last year. Our bishop gave clear instructions to use the budded cross in the nave rather than the three-barred cross, saying that "we're not Russian". (That wasn't intended as any sort of put-down, but rather His Grace is trying to emphasize our own traditions.) We do have a three-barred cross - and a rather large one at that - in the fellowship hall. The bishop made no mention of that.

Thank you for the info. I like the budded cross then. Then again, I like a number of Cross designs. I think that may be my favorite though. I still wear a small "Baptist cross" though.

I will have to take a look at that article. Sounds interesting. Thank you.

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Aγιος ὁ Θεός, Ἅγιος ἰσχυρός, Ἅγιος ἀθάνατος, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς

Let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God

The three barred cross is not 'the' Orthodox cross, rather it is one of many styles used in different national Orthodox churches across the globe. There is a detailed discussion of this subject on this thread from a few year's back: http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php?topic=33297.0 Of course I wouldn't take all of the answers as being accurate, but there is a pretty good discussion there. While almost exclusively used by Russians, Ukrainians and Rusyns, it is rarely, if ever, found in the Greek or Arabic tradition. It is also used by eastern Catholic Ukrainians and Rusyns.

We are an Antiochian church, but our parish seems obsessed with putting Russian crosses on signs to our church, our church building, even on our pews. The eventual Slavic hegemony marches on.

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I seek the truth by which no man was ever harmed--Marcus Aurelius

Those who do not read history are doomed to get their facts from Hollywood--Anonymous

The three barred cross is not 'the' Orthodox cross, rather it is one of many styles used in different national Orthodox churches across the globe. There is a detailed discussion of this subject on this thread from a few year's back: http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php?topic=33297.0 Of course I wouldn't take all of the answers as being accurate, but there is a pretty good discussion there. While almost exclusively used by Russians, Ukrainians and Rusyns, it is rarely, if ever, found in the Greek or Arabic tradition. It is also used by eastern Catholic Ukrainians and Rusyns.

We are an Antiochian church, but our parish seems obsessed with putting Russian crosses on signs to our church, our church building, even on our pews. The eventual Slavic hegemony marches on.

The three barred cross is not 'the' Orthodox cross, rather it is one of many styles used in different national Orthodox churches across the globe. There is a detailed discussion of this subject on this thread from a few year's back: http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php?topic=33297.0 Of course I wouldn't take all of the answers as being accurate, but there is a pretty good discussion there. While almost exclusively used by Russians, Ukrainians and Rusyns, it is rarely, if ever, found in the Greek or Arabic tradition. It is also used by eastern Catholic Ukrainians and Rusyns.

We are an Antiochian church, but our parish seems obsessed with putting Russian crosses on signs to our church, our church building, even on our pews. The eventual Slavic hegemony marches on.

You have pews!?!?!

The horror ...

The Antiochian AND the Greek church have pews here. the Antiochian inherited theirs, but I found out last weekend the Greek purposely installed them ...

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Aγιος ὁ Θεός, Ἅγιος ἰσχυρός, Ἅγιος ἀθάνατος, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς

Let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God

The Antiochian AND the Greek church have pews here. the Antiochian inherited theirs, but I found out last weekend the Greek purposely installed them ...

When we bought our building (formerly a RC chapel) we removed the two front pews to make room for a solea, and removed pews at the back as well so that there would be plenty of room for standing. Our congregation is definitely mixed on this one. That being said, it appears that those who attend most frequently (Orthros, all/most Lenten and Holy Week services, etc.) are the standers. We've had some services on those occasions with no one in the pews. Those who attend only DL head straight for the pews. There are variations on these patterns, of course. Some of us would like to remove more pews, but we don't want to discourage those who expect them.